All Too Well (2)
1231 Words
“Join us.” Liam offered loudly for everyone to hear.
“Are you referring to me?” Lucas asked as he tiredly looked up.
“Yes, you should’ve been with me from the start, don’t you remember?” Liam smiled as he reminded him of the first round where Liam led most of the survivors to the exit door of the rooftop.
“Why…?”
‘Why is so hung up on me?’
“I know from the start, we will make a pretty good team.” Not ceasing his smile he offered Lucas bread and water.
“You can have this.”
“...”
Lucas remained silent and looked away from the bread and water. In front of them Lucas is the system countdown.
[LEVEL 3 will start in…]
[72:58:15]
Liam shakes the food and water in front of Lucas urging him to take it but Lucas only stares at it.
For the last two days, Liam’s group had been monopolizing the food and water. Though they left several food and water for the rest, it was not enough for everyone and his group had almost twice the supply.
“You will die at this rate.” Liam put the bread and water in Lucas' hands.
“If I die, will you and your group be sentenced to punishment?”
Liam laughed out loud. “Maybe or maybe not. We left food, didn't we?”
“Who are you trying to convince?”
Before the timer for the third round had begun, everyone was motivated but slowly, their energy was draining as food and water monopoly continued. It's been almost 48 hours since then. There are a lot of things that happened in those two days.
Those two days are slowly leading them to the inner circle of hell… but nobody could give in after the video.
“You’ve been staring at the prize money since earlier, do you want to know how it arrived that way?” Liam interrupted his concentration.
Prize money had jumped from $472,000.00 to $1,191,696.97
Lucas remained silent, and Liam took it as a go signal. He sat beside him and explained.
“It turns out that every game level, the value of each player is going up, the money rakes up according to the value of the player when he dies…”
On Game 1: Starting with 250 players, each player has a value of $4,000.00. 118 players died that round, which gives a 118 x $4,000 = $ 472,000.00 Reward money.
On Game 2: With 132 players left, their life value increased from $4,000 to $7,575.76 each. With 95 players died, the additional reward money would be $ 719,696.97
A total of $472,000.00 + $719,696.97 = $1,191,696.97
Lucas is staring at Liam so intently with his shrunken eyes. Not registering his calculations to him.
“Amazing right? Actually, It wasn’t me who noticed it…” Liam continued to speak to him but to him, his voice was fading and going farther and farther away.
[72:56:58]
‘Three days more.’ Without energy, Lucas didn't move a lot for the last two days. They had eaten yesterday their excess bread and water they had before Liam’s group had appeared but that too wasn’t enough for their group.
Seeing that Lucas is distracted with the bread and water, Liam returned to their original conversation.
“So tell me what do you really think? Will we be punished if we don’t share?” Liam changed his tone to serious.
“...”
“It seems like you are too tired to lie.” Liam smiled again.
“Why?” groggily he asked and he lost balance.
Liam catched him and leans him to his shoulder as if they are in an intimate relationship.
“Because you are unusual. You don’t blink.”
Lucas slowly turned to look up at Liam, wearing this subtle confused look.
Liam smiled at him and said. “You don’t act like a monkey.”
Lucas finally frowned. ‘What is he saying?’
“A veteran, one can say. Why didn’t you become a soldier? You were an Outlander before, right? haha. Don’t act so surprised. You are not the only one who has abilities.”
Lucas was aware of the charisma of Liam, even in his thirties, he has a good build of muscles and trustable features. His overall look and abilities he was able to lead a pack and choose people. Seeing that his group is still intact, he is also intelligent. That’s why when Lucas and Liam got reunited on the third floor during the first game level, Lucas immediately understood that he was bad news if they crossed him.
He is someone Lucas doesn't want to deal with.
Someone who is good at leading people.
“You knew about the undead on the second floor of the first game, right?” Liam mentioned as if he is reading Lucas’ mind while tapping his cheeks.
“I didn’t know about the elevator…” Lucas redirected the truth with another fact. He really didn’t know about the elevators.
“But you know about the emergency door.”
“I had a hunch.” Lucas didn't know if it was wise to lie so he had settled for the gray area answer.
“Really? Then they must be lucky to discover that we cleared the way for them.” Liam looked at Elijah who evaded eye contact. He is obviously eavesdropping.
“...”
“What about in game 2? Do you happen to know that undeads were slower at night? I must commend your plan to become bait also to stop everyone from coming after you.”
Lucas looked over the other side and glared at Brandy. He was sold out. Their plans that day were revealed. Now, Lucas is positive that Liam didn’t believe his gray answer.
“Come to our side, when you make your decision.” Liam patted Lucas' shoulders and left the lethargic Lucas to Elijah who is nearby.
Elijah supported Lucas and while assisting him, he asked if he would go to that group.
“I will not.” He answered in a small voice.
His back touches the end of the bunk bed and Elijah left him like that.
“Are you sure? They have all these resources. You will not get hungry until the third round.” Elijah swallowed his saliva as he looked at the food at Lucas’ hands.
Lucas gave the food and water to him. “Hunger is something not foreign to me. ”
“Dude, it’s fine. That’s yours.” Elijah pushed it back but he still is eyeing for it.
“Eat it. You’ll need your strength when the time comes.”
“Still--”
“Eat it.”
“You don’t have to glare… geez. Thanks man. Are you sure you won’t go to that side? ‘Cause we totally understand if you do.”
Lucas met eyes with Liam, who sent him a smile.
“Yes I am sure.”
He is someone Lucas doesn't want to deal with.
Someone who is good at leading people.
Someone who doesn't hesitate. He had shown it during the first two games but even then, people followed him unconditionally.
He knows his kind all too well and they are the scariest type of people in the apocalypse world.
- Writer
